Fit a kitchen fire blanket to a metal stud wall

Fit a kitchen fire blanket bracket safely, using the right fixing for your wall type, brick, stud, or dot-and-dab.

AB-01Choose the mounting spotPick a spot near the cooker but on your escape route, not directly above the hob, so you can grab the blanket without reaching over flames. A height of around 1400-1600mm from the floor works for most people. Check the wall surface at that height so you know what you are drilling into before you start.

1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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AB-02Work out what your wall is made ofRun a magnet or stud detector across the area. A line of screw heads roughly 400-600mm apart means plasterboard on studs. Tap the wall: a dull, solid thud usually means solid brick or block, or dot-and-dab plasterboard over masonry, while a hollow sound between fixed points means a stud wall. Drill a small 3mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot: fine timber dust means a timber stud, grey metal swarf means a metal stud, and brick dust or dense plaster with no give means solid masonry. Older properties with uneven, slightly bouncy walls may have lath and plaster, thin timber strips under the plaster, so go carefully and expect the fixing to need to reach through to a stud.

1 each · Stud detector or small magnet

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AB-03Do your safety checks before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the 'safe zones' you might expect, so use your detector and still treat the wall as if something is there until you prove otherwise. Detectors can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or confused by a metal stud frame. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

AB-04Mark the fixing holesHold the bracket against the wall at your chosen height and use a spirit level to keep it straight. Mark the screw hole centres through the bracket with a pencil. Use a strip of masking tape over each mark to stop the drill bit skidding on a painted or tiled surface.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 roll · Masking tape

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AB-05Fit the right fixing for your wall typeSolid brick or block: drill with a 6mm masonry bit to about 40mm deep, fit a red wall plug, then a 40mm woodscrew. Plasterboard on timber studs: drive a 40mm woodscrew straight into the centre of the stud, no plug needed. Plasterboard on metal studs: use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a hollow-wall toggle rated for the load, never a plain plastic plug or ordinary wood screw, as these strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use a fixing long enough to cross the air gap and reach the masonry behind, typically 60-75mm, a standard plug in the plasterboard alone will pull out. Lath and plaster: locate a stud behind the laths and use a longer screw that reaches through the plaster and lath into solid timber, drilling gently to avoid cracking the old plaster.

4 each · Red wall plugs (masonry)

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4 each · 40mm woodscrews

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4 each · Metal-stud self-drilling fixings

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4 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixings

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4 each · Long dot-and-dab fixings (60-75mm)

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AB-06Screw the bracket to the wallDrive the screws or fixings through the bracket into your marked and prepared holes. Tighten evenly so the bracket sits flat, but don't overtighten a toggle fixing, as this can crush the plasterboard. Give the bracket a firm tug to check it feels solid before moving on.

1 each · Screwdriver or drill driver

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AB-07Hang the fire blanket and test the releaseSlide the fire blanket's case into the bracket as shown on its packaging. Pull the release tab or tape once to check the blanket comes free quickly and smoothly, this is what you'll rely on in an emergency. Reset or replace the blanket if the packaging says the pull tab is single-use.

1 each · Kitchen fire blanket with wall bracket

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AB-08Tidy upVacuum up any dust or masonry debris from the floor and skirting. Peel off the masking tape and wipe the wall clean. Check the consumer unit or stopcock are back to normal if you switched anything off earlier.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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